Tuesday, September 27, 2011

In
the immediate aftermath of the February 22 earthquake in Christchurch,
police photographers were the only media allowed into the city’s CBD.

They were there to photograph the remains of the victims to help
with the identification process, but their cameras also captured
haunting images of a deserted and devastated city and of the people who
came from around the world to help.

Police have released those images to the public in their book,
Beyond the Cordon, with proceeds going to Christchurch’s Family Help
trust.

Monday, September 26, 2011

A week after All Blacks captain Richie McCaw celebrated his 100th Test
cap with a win over France, another All Blacks leader will reach the
milestone.

The All Blacks' final pool match against Canada will be coach Graham Henry's 100th match at the helm.
'Ted' as he is affectionately known by those he has coached, took over
the reins from John Mitchell in 2004, following a successful stint
coaching Wales.

Since then he has fashioned an impressive record which includes five
Tri Nations titles, three Grand Slams at an 85% success rate.

The milestone obviously hasn't been mentioned much in the All Blacks
camp with lock Ali Williams finding out about it at a press conference
today.

However he was quick to praise the former headmaster, who is often viewed as hard taskmaster in the media.

"He's a great man, from the outside the perception is not actually the reality, he's got a great sense of humour.

"But he's a man that shoots straight at you, he tells you know where you stand. I can't speak highly enough about him."

Halfback Piri Weepu said Henry's coaching style had changed over the years.

"Everytime you guys see him he looks grumpy, but that's just how he
looks. I guess from 2004 when I first made the team to now he has
mellowed a little bit and he's probably more approachable now," Weepu
told reporters.

However Weepu admitted he'd had to witness a telling off from the angry headmaster at times.
"Maybe once or twice in the changing room," Weepu said with a cheeky grin.

"But when you're not playing the best, the coaches are disappointed
because they expect the best from you and you're not delivering.

"His standards are high and you've gotta try and stay at those
standards, we have seen him erupt a few times, luckily most times we've
done pretty well."

While Canada are unlikely to provide enough of a challenge to cause a
Henry eruption on Sunday, there's no doubt the All Blacks will be keen
to ensure their coach's 100th Test is a memorable one.

"If you were going to pick a place to play and a team to play
against, the French would be one you'd pick," McCaw told reporters on
Friday.

He was set to achieve the feat last week in less glamorous
circumstances against lowly Japan at Hamilton's Waikato Stadium but a
calf injury ruled him out after he had been selected, Reuters reports.

"Had it happened last week it still would have been pretty cool so I
wasn't too worried either way, but now that it has come down to this
occasion the thing now is to make sure it is a good memory," McCaw said.

McCaw has been a mainstay of the All Blacks side since making his
debut against Ireland in a 40-29 win in Dublin a decade ago.

A three-time winner of the International Rugby Board
player-of-the-year award, he is widely regarded as one of the finest All
Blacks and his skills at the breakdown and ability to read the play
have consistently been a thorn in the side of opponents.

The 30-year-old is likely to win many more caps, although he admits
few matches would rival the feeling of winning his first. "It was a day
I could finally call myself an All Black. Up until that point it was a
dream.", Radio New Zealand

Motorsport

Pole-sitter Scott Dixon of New Zealand won the Indy Japan today to stay
in contention for the IndyCar series championship with two races to go.

The Target Chip Ganassi driver held off Will Power, who moved into the
championship lead, to capture his second IndyCar win of the season.

''I've got to give a lot of credit to Team Target,'' said Dixon, who
won the Honda Indy 200 last month. ''They gave me a great car with great
pit stops and great fuel strategy.''

Team Penske's Power moved into first place in the standings with 542
points, 11 ahead of Dario Franchitti, who finished in eight place after
being penalized for hitting Ryan Briscoe's car on the 26th lap.

Dixon, who finished 3.4375 seconds ahead of Power, is 59 points out of
first place with two races to go. The final two races of the season in
Kentucky and Las Vegas are on ovals.

The deadly March 11 earthquake damaged the oval at Twin Ring, so
Sunday's 63-lap race was held instead on the recently repaved 14-turn,
4.8-kilometre road course.

Franchitti's chances to hold onto his lead in the overall standings
were damaged when he made contact with the right-rear of Ryan Briscoe's
Team Penske car entering turn one on the 26th lap.

That will severely limit the ability of Cantabrians to rebuild their region.

Speaking today on TV3's "The Nation" Mr Brownlee said overseas based
reinsurance companies would not write new contracts for Canterbury until
there was a more settled seismic situation.

"What we're talking about is new risk, new exposure and expansion of various insurers' books, "he said.
"Insurance companies in New Zealand are continuing to cover their
clients, and in many parts of New Zealand they're still expanding their
book effectively.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Hutt Indoor Sports Centre, Hutt Park, Seaview, has been
developed on a shoestring to give Hutt residents easy access to sports
facilities.

News

Where Wellington City Council has spent nearly $47 million on its
new Kilbirnie Sports Centre, Hutt Valley residents have got a new indoor
sports centre at no cost to ratepayers.

The new seven court stadium at Hutt Park, which has just opened
without fanfare, is over half the size of the Kilbirnie but it has only
cost $6m says developer Mukesh Dayal.

Mr Dayal, director of Wellington Indoor Sports and Hutt Indoor
Sports, said it was built at a cost so that it could pay its way as a
private venture.

Where the Kilbirnie centre had sprung wooden floors for basketball,
netball and volleyball the Hutt Park stadium had artificial turf
flooring and was set up for indoor netball, cricket and soccer.

"The comparison is not a true reflection. Where the $47m [spent at
Kilbirnie] was probably overkill at lot of that was down to its design
and they've gone for top of the line, we've had to make a return and
make it work for us."

The Hutt Park stadium, built to be self-funding with costs covered
by those who hire its courts, includes a large specially-designed
Junglerama children's play area, a cafe and bar.

Construction started in January and the complex opened for business
last week - an official opening is scheduled to take place once the
carpark is complete.

Mr Dayal praised Hutt City Council for its encouragement and
assistance. It had offered leased land on the former Hutt Park Raceway
and it been very helpful by putting in a carpark.

The developer said he was now looking at the possibility of putting
in a rink in a second stage development at Hutt Park where he plans to
build another 2500sqm multi-purpose sports stadium next to the new
centre.

Architect Geoffrey Meyer said the Hutt centre had taken just eight
months to build and incorporated natural ventilation and lighting to
reduce running costs. The building was insulated so it did not get too
cold in winter or too hot in summer.

He said the centre was designed to meet local needs, providing
sports and recreation facilities for schools and businesses in the area.

Lower Hutt mayor Ray Wallace said the new complex was a real asset
for the city with its quality courts, a fantastic children's area and
cafe.

Saturday, September 3, 2011

I have to write about the following, even if it did happen down in my neck of the woods.

A Judge has cited a well-known comedians talent as one of the
reasons she discharged him without conviction despite him pleading
guilty to a sex act on a child - his four year old daughter.

In weighing the offence against the effect of a conviction the Judge
said the comedian and entertainer had already paid a high price with
the loss of his family and career, and the case was unusual,"And his
talent - he's a talented New Zealander. he makes people laugh, and
laughter's an incredible medicine that we all need a lot of."

I'm not laughing, New Zealand is not laughing, and I bet most of the
world will not be laughing at an adult man who drank too much and
interfered with his four year old daughter. He thought his daughter was
his wife. What? He got into bed, and suddenly his wife said what are you
doing? He had taken the girls pyjamas and pull-up nappies off and
kissed her.The Judge has imposed permanent name suppression. The Judge is a joke!

Now there is doubt cast on the industry, comedians and entertainers. Who is it, people are asking?

A Justice campaigner,Garth McVicar said there is one law for them
and one law for us. He also said, "We're talking about a child. I can't
think of a much worse act. This sets a precedent. Its disgraceful."

He said he had no time for the "excuse mentality" and saying, "I was drunk at the time.
A doctors report said the man had "odd" incidents in the past after
drinking, and waking up without knowledge of what he had done.

If he had been just a poorly educated rubbish collector without any
talent, I imagine the Judge would have jailed him. This makes me bloody
sick! Sick of him and that excuse for a Judge!!

Related

Labour youth skills and employment package unveiled today will
cut spending on the dole and redirect millions to fund
apprenticeships.

Labour will reprioritise $80 million from existing schemes, with
$58 million going to the apprenticeship subsidy instead of dole
payments.

It will be funded out of revenue from Labour's tax plan.

The party proposes converting dole payments into a $8700 subsidy
to fund 9000 additional apprenticeship places. Dole payments would
be converted into incentives for employers to take on additional
apprentices.
The package will cost $251 million over four years, starting
before young people leave school and Labour claims it will see
teens earning or learning within three years.

Leader Phil Goff said youth unemployment is too high.

"Our young people represent more of our total unemployment
numbers than in any other OECD country," he said.

"This is a ticking time-bomb and has to be fixed. These kids are
our future but at the moment they are being left on the
scrapheap."

He said if something is not done now the New Zealand Institute
estimates the cost of disengaged youth is $900 million a year.

Goff said Labour will also adopt ideas from the old Maori Trade
training programme and apply them to Maori and Pasifika
communities. The party also aims to build on proven programmes such
as Gateway, the youth transition service, tertiary high schools and
trades academies, and the Conservation Corps.
Earlier this month, Prime Minister John Key unveiled welfare
reforms which take a hard line on unemployed youth and solo parents
who do nothing to find a job.

National's policy would involve cash bonuses paid to private
organisations and putting controls on teenage beneficiaries in
terms of how they can spend their welfare money, while also offer
them more mentoring and support to get back into work.

Labour MP Jacinda Ardern said Key is targeting a small group of
unemployed and ignoring the majority.
She said he has targeted 1600 young people rather the other
58,000 people who are not in jobs, education or training.

Key responded by saying New Zealand has a welfare system that is
not sustainable. National doesn't know how to manage or administer a social welfare system.

National doesn't have a youth policy or an employment creation policy - just inane and poorly worked anti- welfare policies. National doesn't have a clue to be fair!